At Cuppa, we believe in the power of connection to drive meaningful change. Our work centres on inspiring conversations that transform lives and communities. We unite diverse voices, fostering understanding and collaboration to tackle today’s most pressing challenges. Guided by our values, we strive to create a ripple effect of kindness, inclusivity, and hope.
Running on Empty? How to Recharge Your Brain with Jay Pottenger
Doing work you love doesn't automatically protect you from feeling exhausted.
For leaders, parents and high achievers constantly juggling competing demands, running on empty can quickly start to feel normal. But what is that constant pressure actually doing to our brains, and how can we recharge?
Jay Pottenger brings a unique perspective to the challenge. With 15 years of corporate leadership experience, a background as a professional athlete and postgraduate studies in neuroscience and mental health, Jay bridges the gap between science and the realities of everyday life.
Rather than waiting until burnout forces us to stop, Jay explores the small, science-backed shifts we can make to better manage our energy, sharpen our focus and sustain performance over time.
You'll discover:
* Why the modern world is accelerating stress, fatigue and burnout
* What emerging research tells us about how our brains are responding to modern life
* Why high performers can be particularly vulnerable to running on empty
* How to recognise when your brain needs a genuine recharge
* Science-backed strategies to restore energy and improve focus
* How small changes can have a meaningful impact on how you work and live
* Why recovery isn't separate from performance, but an essential part of it
Whether you're leading a team, raising a family, chasing ambitious goals or trying to do all three, Jay offers a timely reminder that constantly pushing harder isn't the answer.
Your brain needs recovery to perform at its best. Recharging isn't a reward for finishing the work. It's part of the work.
At Cuppa.tv, we bring together people and ideas that help us work, lead and live with greater energy, purpose and wellbeing.
*Follow **Cuppa.tv* (http://Cuppa.tv)* and join our Circle Community to stay in the know *https://cuppa.tv/circle-community/
*Want to speak further with our guest? *https://cuppa.pickmybrain.world/profiles/jay-pottenger
*Linkedin: *https://www.linkedin.com/company/cuppatv/
*Instagram: *https://www.instagram.com/cuppa.tv/
*Facebook: *https://www.facebook.com/enjoycuppa.tv
31 Aug 2026
Grey Area Drinking: Is Alcohol Quietly Holding You Back? with Sarah Rusbatch
You don't need to have a drinking problem to question whether alcohol is helping you live your best life.
After two decades in career and executive coaching, Sarah Rusbatch made a significant change in 2019 when she recognised herself as a grey area drinker. She wasn't dependent on alcohol, but she also realised it wasn't helping her thrive.
That decision changed the direction of her life.
Sarah retrained as a Grey Area Drinking, menopause and wellbeing coach and has since supported thousands of Australians to rethink their relationship with alcohol, improve their wellbeing and discover what becomes possible when drinking no longer takes up the same space in their lives.
Author of the bestselling book Beyond Booze, Sarah brings her work into mine sites, boardrooms and communities around the world, helping challenge the assumption that conversations about alcohol are only relevant when someone reaches a crisis point.
In this episode, Sarah explores the relationship between alcohol, wellbeing, performance, self-leadership and resilience, and why workplaces need to become more comfortable talking about what's happening in the grey area.
You'll discover:
* What grey area drinking actually means
* Why you don't need to be dependent on alcohol to reconsider your relationship with it
* What Sarah discovered after giving up drinking in 2019
* How our drinking habits can influence energy, wellbeing and performance
* Why workplaces can be hesitant to talk openly about alcohol
* How organisations can create safer, more inclusive conversations around drinking
* Why wellbeing isn't only about what you remove, but what you reclaim
* What can happen when we become curious about the habits that may quietly be holding us back
Whether you're sober, sober-curious or simply wondering whether your habits still serve you, Sarah offers a different way to think about alcohol without judgement or labels.
It's not necessarily about how bad things are. Sometimes the more useful question is: how much better could they be?
At Cuppa.tv, we create space for conversations that challenge assumptions and help people make meaningful changes in their work, wellbeing and lives.
*Follow **Cuppa.tv* (http://Cuppa.tv)* and join our Circle Community to stay in the know *https://cuppa.tv/circle-community/
*Want to speak further with our guest? *https://cuppa.pickmybrain.world/profiles/sarah-rusbatch
*Linkedin: *https://www.linkedin.com/company/cuppatv/
*Instagram: *https://www.instagram.com/cuppa.tv/
*Facebook: *https://www.facebook.com/enjoycuppa.tv
31 Aug 2026
From Disconnected to Engaged: Bringing Teams Back Together with Eran Thomson
Your team might be together in the room, but are they actually present?
Between doom scrolling, endless notifications, messaging apps and competing demands for our attention, many workplaces are experiencing a quiet crisis of disconnection. People are physically together while mentally somewhere else, and collaboration, communication and creativity can suffer as a result.
Creative director and improv expert Eran Thomson believes one surprisingly powerful antidote can be found in improvisation.
With more than 13 years of experience running PowerProv, Eran has worked with hundreds of teams and seen firsthand how the principles of improv can help people become more present, confident and engaged with each other.
And you don't need to be funny or comfortable performing to use them.
Through simple improv principles such as “Yes, and”, Eran shows how we can become better listeners, respond more openly to other people's ideas and create environments where people feel able to contribute.
You'll discover:
* How an improvisational mindset can strengthen team connection
* Why being physically present doesn't necessarily mean we're mentally present
* How the “Yes, and” principle can change the way teams communicate
* Simple ways to become a more active and present listener
* How improv can build confidence and encourage participation
* Why presence matters for creativity and collaboration
* Five PowerProv exercises you can use with your own team
For HR, L&D, People and Culture professionals and business leaders looking for new ways to bring their people together, Eran offers a playful but powerful approach to creating more engaged workplaces.
Sometimes better teamwork doesn't start with another meeting. It starts with changing how we show up when we're together.
At Cuppa.tv, we bring together people and ideas that help create more connected, engaged and human workplaces.
*Follow **Cuppa.tv* (http://Cuppa.tv)* and join our Circle Community to stay in the know *https://cuppa.tv/circle-community/
*Want to speak further with our guest? *https://cuppa.pickmybrain.world/profiles/eran-thomson
*Linkedin: *https://www.linkedin.com/company/cuppatv/
*Instagram: *https://www.instagram.com/cuppa.tv/
*Facebook: *https://www.facebook.com/enjoycuppa.tv
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